Sewing-machine attachment for producing combined edge-binding and double-ruffled trimming



1954 A. .1. HILTBRUNNER ETAL 2,669,203

SEWING-MACHINE ATTACHMENT FOR PRODUCING COMBINED EDGE-BINDING AND DOUBLE-RUFFLED TRIMMING 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 23, 1949 INVENTORS FIRNOLD JT H/LTBRUNNER CHIZLE5 M H/LTBRUNNER FITTORNEY 1954 A-. J. HILTBRUNNER ETAL ,6 03

' SEWING-MACHINE ATTACHMENT FOR PRODUCING COMBINED EDGE-BINDING AND DOUBLE-RUFFLED TRIMMING Filed May 25, 1949 v 3 SheetsSheet 3 IN V EN TORS HRNOL D J H L TBRUNNER CHE/7251 E 5 M, H/LTBRU/V/VER H TTORNE Y Patented Feb. 16, 1954 UNITED STATES ?ATENT OFFICE SEWING-MACHINE ATTACHMENT FonfPRo' DUCINGCOMBINED EDGE-BINDING AND DOUBLE-RUFFLED TRIMMING I V Arnold J. Hiltbrunner, west'vvood, N. J}, and

Charles M. Hiltbrunner, Nanuet,..N. Y., assignors to National Sure-Fit Quilting Company,

Inc., New York York, N. Y., a corporation of New Applicationltlay 2 3, 194aseria1 No. 94,908

rufiie pleats sewed tothe opposite surfaces of the quilt. atitheoedge thereof, whereby we produce aiiquilt or the like having a binding member that enclosesand binds its edge and provides an ornamental ruflled trimming for opposite surfaces thereof. I

Another object of our invention is to produce a quilt or the like having edge-binding and double ruffled trimming composed of a single folded strip,.

the ruflled pleats, on opposite surfaces of the edges of. which are of equal and uniform depth on both edges so that during a sewing to the quilt of a considerable length of such pleats, we will avoid any substantial unevenness of the travel of oppoe site edges of the trimming stripthat would cause distortion or uneven tension or pulling of the material at the middle or body-portion of. the edge-1 4 Claims." (oi. 112-134) vide a guide or guides for such rufiling blades to cause such movement toward and away from a common plane and preferably to utilize as the guiding means for such reciprocating movements of the pair of ruffiing blades, the terminal end of a channeled. guiding member that is also adapted to guide opposite edges of the folded trimming strip and the edges of the quilt or the like into position for stitching the opposite edges of the encircling trimming member between the rows of o,

pleats which is. ornamentally fluted by the pleats. Another object of our invention is to provide on a conventional sewing machine a binding and ruffling attachment that will, during a sewing operation, enable the simultaneous binding of the edge ofla quiltor the like and produce rufiiing pleats ofopposite side edges of a single folded strip of trimming material to provide a trimming surrounding such edge to function both as an edgebinding and as an ornamental rufiied trimming.

Still another object of our invention is to providea rufliing attachment having a pair of ruffling blades mounted for reciprocabl movement conjointly toward andaway from a common plane andadapted, during a machine stitching operation for sewing to opposite surfaces adjacent to the edge of a quilt or the like the opposite edges of a folded trimming strip, to simultaneously ruffiesuch opposite edges of the folded trimming strip and thus to provide on the edge of the quilt or the like a combined edge-binding and double- Jfl BS uIJlim iQsw. I

Still another object of dilemmas teprojointly, reciprocated by said rufiiing blade lever trimming strip to the edge of the quilt or the like.

Still another object of our invention is to provide an attachmentof the type specified comprising a-pair of ruflling blades reciprocably movable conjointly toward and away from a common plane extending adjacently. above a sewing-machine base and the feed dog thereof combined with means for moving and guiding said blades to move at a position above said feed dog and below a presserfoot to provide on'both surfaces of a guided edge of a quilt or the like rufiled pleats of a trimming strip.

Another object of our invention is to provide an attachment of the type specified which is adapted to produce ruflles or pleats ofv equal width at opposite surfaces of the guided edge of the quilt or the like.

Still another object of our invention is to provide an attachment of the type specified adapted to :be conjointly mounted on a single ruffling blade leveroperated from the ruiile shaft of a conventional ruffiing machine, said lever preferably being mounted on such shaft in an inwardly-offset position to provide room for mounting and operation of the ruifling blades. Still another object of our invention is to provide a mounting means for said blades which willoscillatory yoke pivotally mounted between itsends onsaid rufiling-blade lever and having arms through whichthe pair of ruffiing blades are conthrough equal distances to produce uniform rufile pleats on each operation. I 3

Still another object of our invention is to provide a pair of ruiiling blades of the type specified having ruflle-producing end portions bent towardeach other and guided, preferably by the terminal ends of a rigid folding and guide member for the edges of the trimming strip and the edge of the quilt or the like, to cause such blade ends to engage and simultaneously ruflle opposite edges of a suitable strip of trimming material during the sewing thereof to opposite surfaces of the edge of a quilt or the like.

With thes and other objects in view, the invention comprises the combination of members and arrangement of parts so combined as to coact and cooperate with each other in the performance of the functions and the accomplishment of the results herein contemplated, and comprises in one of its adaptations the species or preferred form illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a fragmentary view in end elevation of a sewing machine head embodyinggour doubleruffling attachment showing the needles in r'ais'ed position and the ruffiing blades in retracted position;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view in plan of our double-ruining attachment with the parts in the position shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view in end elevation similar to Fig. 1 showing the needles lowered and the ruiiling blades in ruilling position;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view of the needles, pre'sser foot and adjacent ruining-attachment parts with the needles raised, the ruffling blades retracted on the guides and showing the paths of the materials through said guides and the mahi Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 4 with the needle lowered and the milling blades forming ruffles between the presser foot and feed dog adjacent to the needles;

Fig. '6 is a view in plan of a portion of a quilt showing my "combined binding and trimming sewed thereto;

Fig. '7 is a section on the line 1-1 of Fig. 6;

Fig. '8 is a section on the line 8--8 of Fig. 6; and

Fig. 9 is a section on the line 9--9 of Fig. 2.

Referring now to these drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of our invention, we areenabled to produce an article such as theq'u-ilt I shown in Figs. 6, 7 and 8 having a combined edge-binding and trimming member -'2 composed of a single longitudinallyfolded strip 3 of trimming material provided along its opposite edges 4 and 5 with rufile-pleats I5, I sewed to the-opposite surfaces I I of the quilt l at the edge thereof whereby we produce a quilt or the like having a binding member that encloses and binds its edge and provides an ornamental rufile'd trimming '8 for opposite surfaces thereof. The ruffled pleats 6, 1 on opposite surfaces of the edges are of equal and uniform depth on 'both edges so that during a sewing to the quilt of 'a considerable length of such pleats, we will avoid any substantial unevenness of the travel of opposite edges of the trimming strip that would cause distortion or uneven tension or pulling of the material at the middle or body-portion 9 of the edge-encircling trimming memberbetween the rows of pleats which is ornamentally fluted by the pleats.

The mechanism for producing the article 1 comprises a head ID of a conventional sewing machine having a needle-bar I I carrying a needle I2 and a presser-foot bar I3 carrying a presser foot I4, both of which are actuated by*conventional mechanism not shown. The presser foot presses and holds 'the material in engagement with a set of feed dogs I5 also "actuated in the usual manner by conventional mechanism not shown.

The sewing machine head I0 is provided with a conventional horizontally disposed ruflle shaft I6 mounted in bearing arm IB extending laterally from the head Ill, and we mount on the shaft It a binding and ruffling attachment that will during a sewing operation enable the simultaneous binding of the edge of a quilt or the like and produce ruffiing pleats of opposite side edges of a single folded strip of trimming material to provide a trimming surrounding such edge to function both as an edge-binding and as an ornamental rufiled trimming. In our preferred embodiment, we preferably mount in an inwardlyoffset position a ruffling-blade lever I! which, as shown, is adjustable vertically in a sleeve H and has an offset collar II fast on the said shaft IS.

The inward offsetting of the lever I6 provides more space at the outside thereof for our bladeconnecting device which, in the preferred embodiment shown, comprises an oscillatable yoke member 18 having arms Ili I8 extending angularly to each other from an intermediate pivot-bearing I8 which is pivoted on a block or collar I9 adjustable vertically on the lever H. In the embodiment shown, the 'outer ends of the yoke-arm's I8 I8 have mounted therein and carry horizontal extensions or blades-positioning rods 25, 20 the outer ends of which extend transversely across the path of movement of the quilt edge and the trimming material and are provided at such o'uter ends with pairs of attaching screws 2I and 22, by which a pair of ruining-blades 23, 23 are mounted on the rods 2D, 253 to extend transversely thereto in substantial parallelism and alignment with the said path of movement of the quilt edge and trimming material. Said pair of blades 23, 23 are resilient and bent at their outer ends to extend toward a common plane "and are positioned to move in contact with u per and lower terminal plates 24, 24 of a channeled guiding member 24 having a middle guide-channel portion 25 'for the reception of the edge 26 of the quilt I and a U-shaped channelled portion 21 fitting around said channeled portion 25 and having leg portions 21 27* extending on opposite sides thereof. A channel is formed between the inner channelled portion 25 and the outer channeled portion 21 and the channel so formed received a folded strip of trimming material 3 which has been initially folded between its edges by any suitable means and then passed through a lateral or side extension 29 of said U-shaped channel member 24, and in accordancewith our inven'-" tion, said terminal ends 24 24 are utilized as guides for the movement of the resilient upper and lower rufiiing blades 23, "23 Due to the resilience, positioning and mounting of said 'ruffiing blades, they are adapted to move toward each otherQand'are guided by said channelled-portion ends 24*, 24 to move into rufliing contact with the opposite edges of the trimming material fed through said channel between the portions 2'5 and 2 1 "and through the outlet at the ends'of said terminal portions 24 24 The rufiling blades are preferably for'me'd of relatively; flat blade-attaching; spring members 23?, 23 and, reverselyo-bent bladeesections 23 23F'i'which are each provided at-stheir terminal endswith fine teeth 23 as shown in Fig." 2,;

As shown, the lower terminal end 24 extends to'a' line s-adjacent to the bottom of a shallow groove iifl in the topjsurfaceof the sewingmachinetable t and theouter end 23? of the'lower rufiling blade operates in said groove 30 and reciprocates -between the bottom thereof-and said terminal end 2.4 ,,of the said guidemembei' 24.," It will be seen that the pair of rufiling blades are mounted for reciprocable movement conjointly toward and away from a common plane and adapted, during a machine stitching operation for sewing to opposite surfacesadjacent to the edge of a quilt or the like the opposite edges of a folded trimming strip, to simultaneously ruflie such opposite edges of the folded trimming strip and thus to provide on the edge of the quilt or the like a combined edge-binding and doublerufiled trimming: that the pair of rufiiing blades are reciprocably movable conjointly toward and away from a common plane extending adjacently above a sewing machine base and the feed dog thereof combined with means for moving and guiding said blades to move at a position above said feed dog and below a presser foot to provide on both surfaces of a guided edge of a quilt or the like ruflied pleats of a trimming strip, and that the attachment of the type specified is adapted to produce ruflles or pleats of equal Width at opposite surfaces of the guided edge of the quilt or the like, and also that we provide a mounting means for said blades which will enable both blades to be moved by a common rufiling blade lever and to be moved similar distances on each operation of said lever and to provide a mounting means preferably comprising an oscillatory yoke pivotally mounted between its ends on said rufliing-blade lever and having arms through which the pair of rufliing blades are conjointly reciprocated by said rufiling blade lever through equal distances to produce uniform ruflie pleats on each operation.

Having described ou invention, we claim: 1. A binding and ruflling attachment for sewing machines provided with conventional needles comprising a ruffling blade lever, means for mounting said lever on a rufliing shaft of a ruming sewing machine to oscillate said lever toward and away from the needles, a pair of rufliing blades mounted on said lever for reciprocal movement conjointly toward and away from a common plane and adapted during the machine stitching operation for engaging the opposite edges of a folded strip of trimming material to simultaneously ruffle such opposite edges of the folded trimming strip during such stitching operation, a guiding element completely U- shaped in cross-section having spaced sides and provided with terminal ends forming positive guides for said rufiiing blades, said guiding element being provided between its sides with an intermediate straight channel to guide the edge of a quilt into position between the feed dogs and the needles of the machine, and also having a U-shaped trimming material guide channel extending to opposite sides of said straight quiltedge guide channel for guiding each of two folds of a folded trimming strip and causing one of said folds to contact with one face of said quilt edge and the other fold to contact with an opposite surface of the edge of the quilt for rufliing toward and away from the needles, a pair of and-sewing said opposite folds ofthetrimming stripv to the edge of the quilt.

rufiling sewing machine to oscillate said lever ruffling blades mounted on :said lever for recip- ;rocal movement of-the ends thereof conjointly surfaces o f a quilt adjacent tothe edges thereof to -simultaneously rufiie both 'of said tw'oxfolds of the folded trimming strip, said pair of rufiling blades being mounted on an oscillatory yoke pivotally mounted between its ends on said rufiiing blade lever, said yoke having arms on which said pair of ruffiing blades are mounted for conjoint reciprocation by said rufiiing blade lever throughout equal distances to produce during each operation uniform rufiied pleats on opposite sides of the quilt.

3. A binding and. rufliing attachment for sewing machines as claimed in claim 2 in which the pair of ruffiing blades mounted on said yoke are provided with end portions bent toward each other and both of said ends are guided to cause the same to engage and simultaneously rufile each of two folds of the strip of trimming material during the sewing thereof to opposite surfaces of the quilt at the edge thereof.

4. A binding and rufiling attachment for sewing machines provided with conventional needles, comprising a guide member formed of a pair of spaced plates arranged in relatively close parallel relationship to each other and forming a narrow trimming-material guide channel and bent into U-shaped cross-section to produce double channels, each channel being adapted to enclose one of the folds of a folded trimming-material strip and said double-channelled member providing guide-channels for guiding and maintaining two folds of such folded trimming strip with the edges thereof extending in the same direction, one above the other, said U-shaped guide member having between the plates forming said double trimming-material guide-channels a relatively wide straight guide-channel open at one side to permit insertion and guiding of the edge portion of a quilt into position between said folds of the folded trimming strip and conjointly to guide said folds of the folded trimming strip and said edge portion of the quilt into position beneath said needles, and ruiiiing means comprising a ruffling-blade lever, means for mounting the said rufiiing-blade lever on a rufiling shaft of a ruffiing sewing machine to oscillate the same toward and away from said needles, a pair of ruifling-blades mounted on said lever for conjoint reciprocal movement toward and away from the opposite faces of said quilt, one member of said pair of ruffling blades during a machine stitching operation in which the trimming is being sewed to said quilt adjacent to the edge thereof engaging and ruifling one fold of said folded strip of trimming material against one face of said edge portion of the quilt, and the other member of said pair of ruffling-blades engaging the other fold to ruffie the same against the opposite face of said edge portion of the quilt, said two blades independently engaging its fold of said strip and coacting to simultaneously ruffle both of such 

